Current utilization of interferon alpha for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Recent studies have identified an association between perturbed type I interferon (IFN) responses and the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). IFNα intervention may normalize the dysregulated innate immunity of COVID-19. However, details regarding its utilization and therapeutic evidence have yet to be systematically evaluated. The aim of this comprehensive review was to summarize the current utilization of IFNα for COVID-19 treatment and to explore the evidence on safety and efficacy. A comprehensive review of clinical studies in the literature prior to December 1 st , 2021, was performed to identify the current utilization of IFNα, which included details on the route of administration, the number of patients who received the treatment, the severity at the initiation of treatment, age range, the time from the onset of symptoms to treatment, dose, frequency, and duration as well as safety and efficacy. Encouragingly, no evidence was found against the safety of IFNα treatment for COVID-19. Early intervention, either within five days from the onset of symptoms or at hospital admission, confers better clinical outcomes, whereas late intervention may result in prolonged hospitalization.

Anti‐IFN‐α/‐ω neutralizing antibodies from COVID‐19 patients correlate with downregulation of IFN response and laboratory biomarkers of disease severity

“…Indeed, it is known that when IFN‐α has been used to treat thrombocytosis, chronic hepatitis B and C, and certain types of cancer, NAB are associated with loss of clinical effectiveness [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. As the risk of developing severe and even potentially fatal COVID‐19 is high in patients with NAB, the optimal use of IFN‐I in COVID‐19 needs to be better defined since its exploration as an emergency treatment in various clinical trials [ 27 ] has excluded patients with demonstrable auto‐Abs to IFN‐α.…”

Impact of COVID-19 on the liver and on the care of patients with chronic liver disease, hepatobiliary cancer, and liver transplantation: An updated EASL position paper

“…RECOVERY, PRINCIPLE and COLCORONA) [ 219 , 220 ] Interferon alfa Early treatment, either within five days from the onset of symptoms or at hospital admission, confers better clinical outcomes, whereas late intervention may result in prolonged hospitalization. [ 221 ] Interferon beta-1a Interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir was not superior to remdesivir alone in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and patients treated with Interferon beta-1a who required high-flow oxygen at baseline had worse outcomes. [ 222 ] Interferon lambda Antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 virus in vitro .…”

SARS-CoV-2 and the Nucleus

“…Because the IFN-I response is down-regulated by coronaviruses, many studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of interferon treatments (145). In a study involving 11,330 subjects, the World Health Organization has found no benefit of IFN-β1 and recommends against using IFN-I for the treatment of COVID-19 (146).…”